Long Island has the X Factor

Cowell is the judge that everyone loves to hate, an irreplaceable presence who elicits a strong response from the audience.

The day, however, belonged to the ladies of the panel, the female contestants, and the young girls and women of the audience.

“What’re they putting in the water up here?” Kelly Rowland exclaimed as she acknowledged the physical appeal of the female contestants who stepped onto the stage.

I sat near a young girl who desired so much to be noticed, but was alone. When prompted, she explained that she and three of her friends were given the choice to sit together in general admission or separate and sit closer to the stage. They opted to sit apart. Waving to each other from across the arena, their excitement was infectious as they sat closer to their idols. That was the general mood throughout the entirety of the day inside of the Coliseum, as 5,000 screaming fans voiced their approval of the talented singers who auditioned.

But no ovation was louder than that received by Lovato, who was honest and sweet, and by far the most sought after judge by fans. Indeed, a chorus of “Demi, Demi!” rained through the crowd of mostly teenage girls on multiple occasions, and several signs peppered the audience, with one bright pink, glittered creation standing out in particular that read — “You Saved Me Demi.”

The arena was scaled in half for the occasion, with the stage, speakers and production crew situated in the center. But that didn’t make the mood any less electric.

When asked what they were most excited about during the live auditions, most fans pointed to the celebrity judges. The beautiful thing about The X Factor, though, is that it is created to give birth to the next big star.

Many talented local performers passed through to the next round, at once prompting Lovato to exclaim, “Long Island is killing it!”

How incredible would it be if that person (or group) were native to Long Island?

We would be able to boast a new superstar, a new idol. A new role model.